Valve mechanism for evaporators



May l, 1934 F. G. SLAGEL 1,956,778

VALVE MECHANISM FOR EVAPORATORS Filed Nov. 5, 1931 V/-n -Trim Patented May 1, 1934 UNITE .STATES NT GFFICE PAT VALVE MEcnANrsM Fon EvAroaAToRs Application November 5, 1931, Serial No. 573,276

2 Claims.

This invention relates to refrigerating systems and more particularly to mechanism for controlling the flow of refrigerant into an evaporator.

Another object of the invention is to provide automatic valve mechanism, for controlling the ilow of refrigerant into an evaporator, in which a needle valve having limited movement is free to assume a tight engagement with its seat.

A further object of the invention is to provide automatic valve mechanism, for controllng the flow of refrigerant into an evaporator, in which a needle valve is flushed throughout its length when in open position so that any sticking thereof is eliminated.

Another object of the invent'on resides in associating a needle valve with a body in a manner such that it can be reciprocated in a definite relation therewith and without rotation, the valve being removably assembled with the body in a novel manner.

Other objects of the inventon will appear from the following description taken in connection with the drawing, which forms a part of the specification, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional View of an evaporator having my improved form of valve mechanism associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional View of one form of valve and body removed from the evaporator.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view of the same taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of anv other form of valve and body.

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of the same taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of another form of valve and body.

Referring now to the drawing by characters of reference, 10 indicates a cylindrical vessel or evaporator which is adapted to contain a body of liquid refrigerant. A plate ll forms one end of the evaporator, and an outlet conduit 12 is secured in an outlet passage 13 extending therethrough. A union 14, with which a return line to the compressor of a refrigerating system is connected, (not shown), is secured to the exterior face of the end plate by bolts 15. The union is arranged in communcation with the outlet pas- "0 sage.

A refrigerant inlet passage 16 also extends through the end plate 11 and a boss 17 projecting from the interior face of the plate. Union 18 is detachably secured to the exterior face of the plate by bolts 19 so that it communicates with the passage, and an inlet line (not shown) is connected to the union.v The evaporator shown forms paru of a conventional refrigerating system of the compressor-condenser-evaporator type, in which the compressor and condenser are con- G0 nected, and the condenser and inlet union are connected.

Pivotally attached to the boss 17 by pin 20 is an open float member 21 which floats partly submerged in the liquid refrigerant body in the evaporator. The outlet tube l2 is bent to extend downwardly so that its lower open end extends within the float and adjacent the bottom thereof.

Arranged in the inlet passage 16 is a unitary Valve mechanism which can be removed and inserted as such from the exterior of the end wall when the union 18 is removed. Such mechanism includes a body 22, a valve seat member 23 in the body, and a needle valve 24. The body is formed with a head portion 25 and a shank 26, the latter 75 being exteriorly threaded and screwed into and out of the passage 16 from the exterior of the end wall. Suitable recesses 27 are formed in the head of the body for the insertion of a screw driver or similar tool. A passage of varying diameters extends axially through the body, and the cylindrical seat member 23 is pressed into the central portion of such passage. Diametric ports 28 extend through the body adjacent the valve seat, while the end of the body is formed with a milled 8U slot 29 which extends in an axial direction thereof. Opposite the central portion of the slot, the body is formed with a drilled opening 30.

The needle valve 24 projects into the passage in the body and the point thereof is arranged to extend into one end of the passage through the seat member and to close the end thereof. As shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the needle valve is circular and the body is formed with recesses 31 to allow fluid now adjacent the valve, while in 90 Figs. 5 and 6 the body passage is circular and the valve is flattened, as indicated at 32, to allow fluid to flow axially of the body passage around the valve. A pin 33 extends through the needle valve, transversely of the axis, and is preferably pressed into an opening 34 formed to receive the same. The pin extends through the valve and rides in the milled slot at one end and projects into the opening 30 at the other end. The arrangement of the pin in the slot 29 assures that the valve point will have the same relation with the seat at all times and will not rotate relative to the body, while the slot and the opening allow axial but limited reciprocation of the valve. The opening 30 also allows access of a tool for pressing the pin from the valve in order to permit the valve removal when the body is removed from the end plate.

The end of the valve projecting from the body is formed with a head 35 which is engaged by a pair of spring fingers 36 on the clip 37 fixed on the boss 38 extending from the float member. This clip moves the valve with the float and thus reciprocates the same to open and close the passage through the seat member.

In Fig. 6 I have illustrated another form of my invention in which the Valve 24 is carried in Ythe body shank 26 and cooperates with the valve seat member 23 which extends further toward the interior of the evaporator than the seat member shown in the previously described embodiments. In this instance, a plurality of slots 41 are formed in the body shank and extend in an axial direction therein. The needle Valve is formed with a milled groove 42 into which a lip 43 at the end of one of the slots projects, such lip 'being preferably peened inwardly. In this manner rotation and axial displacement of the needle valve relative to the body shank is prevented, although the valve can be reciprocated. Refrigerant can move through the valve body into the evaporator through the slots 4l and endwise of the body shank through the end thereof, when the valve is unseated.

Refrigerant evaporating from the refrigerant -body 39 is drawn from the evaporator through the outlet conduit 12. As the level of the liquid refrigerant lowers, due to evaporation the ioat moves therewith and thus moves the Valve away from the seat so that liquid refrigerant flows through the seat member into the evaporator through ports 28 and the axial channels between the Valve and the body. When the liquid body has risen so that the oat moves the valve into closing relation with the seat, liquid ow into the `evaporator ceases. Thus a substantially constant volume of liquid refrigerant is automatically maintained in the evaporator.

The valve mechanism provides for ushing of the needle valve axially of the body, thus precluding corrosion therebetween. With the valve and body arrangement described, the valve is accurately related with the seat as it can not rotate, and at the same time its reciprocal movement in the body is limited and rotation is prevented. In addition, the valve can be readily positioned in or removed from the body due to the arrangement of the pin with the valve and the body.

Although this invention has been described in connection with certain specic embodiments, the principles involved are susceptible of numerous other applications which will readily occur to persons skilled in the art, and the invention is therefore to be limited only as indicated by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. An evaporator valve unit, comprising a body having a refrigerant inlet passage extending therethrough, a seat in the body passage, a valve mounted for reciprocating movement in the passage of the body and adopted to engage said seat, said valve being formed with an axial groove and said body having a lip portion adapted to be bent into the groove in said valve, whereby said valve is both maintained against rotating movement and is retained for limited sliding movement within the body by said lip portion.

2. A valve unit comprising a body having a head portion and a projecting portion, said body being formed with a passage extending axially therethrough, a seat in the body passage, a valve stem mounted for reciprocating movement in the passage of the body and adapted to engage said seat, said valve stem being formed with an axial ,groove and the projecting portion of said body having a lip portion adapted to be bent into the groove in said valve stem, whereby said stem is both maintained against rotating movement and is retained for limited sliding movement in the body by said lip portion.

FRANKLIN G. SLAGEL. 

